Liberal candidate Tim Wilson takes back tightly contested seat in Goldstein, Victoria from independent Zoe Daniel
Mr Wilson said his campaign focusing on a bright vision for the future appealed to the electorate and delivered one of the rare flips for the Liberal Party in the federal election.
'I think we were speaking to people's sense of hope and ambition … we weren't playing small, we were going big. We talked very optimistically about a hopeful future,' Mr Wilson told RN Breakfast on Monday.
Mr Wilson finished 175 votes ahead of independent candidate Zoe Daniel, attributing the result to the way his campaign had 'brought together a lot of people who wanted to have a shared vision for the community and the country'.
'After the 2022 election, we looked very closely at, well, what do we need to do to change and adjust to fight a new political threat? And what is it that's driving voters to support the teals?
'We worked on it for a very long period of time.'
Ms Daniel hinted that she may make another run for the seat in the next election.
'Today we did not win. But we are not defeated. Hard things are hard, and a better kind of politics is worth fighting for. See you in 2028? Maybe!' the former ABC journalist wrote on X.
Ms Daniel demanded a recount after losing the seat to Mr Wilson by just 260 votes, saying several errors were made during the distribution of preferences.
The Australian Electoral Commission finalised the partial recount of 85,000 votes on Saturday, confirming Mr Wilson had won with a margin of 175 votes.
In a statement posted to social media, Mr Wilson said after 29 days of counting the Liberals had 14,697 more first preference votes than the former MP.
'I want to thank all Goldstein voters but particularly the extraordinary effort some went to so their voice was heard,' he said.
'Now the recount is finished, the result is clear. It is time to get on with the job and take the voice and values of Goldstein to shape the future of Australia.'
Ms Daniel declared victory in the highly contested seat on election night after early counting leaned heavily in her favour.
But a surge in postal votes over the following days swung the pendulum back into blue-ribbon territory, with the seat called for Mr Wilson on May 7.
Ms Daniel refused to concede the seat at the time, insisting on waiting for the full distribution of preferences, and then demanded a recount, which was granted in part by the AEC.
She said it had been a long process to recount the 85,000 votes, representing 75 per cent of votes cast.
'Goldstein is now one of the most marginal seats in the country, and with that comes embedded accountability,' she said.
'In that, we have done our job.
'In a world where trust in elections is being eroded in so many places, we should never take this for granted.'
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